To Love an Author
by Jezebel26
Summary: Killian Jones was convinced he was doomed as a writer, but an unexpected visitor in his life provides the inspiration he needs to fulfill his destiny. Fate is a funny thing, however, and this visitor harbors a dark secret that will change Killian's life forever. CaptainSwan AU. Rated M for later chapters.
1. Chapter 1

**Hello everyone! Here's a story I have been working on recently. It has literally consumed my whole life. It's going to be slightly angsty, so I apologize for that in advance. As always, my muse feeds on reviews, so please feel free to leave one!**

**Disclaimer: These characters do not belong to me, but to the creators/writers of Once Upon a Time. **

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><p>The blank page was mocking him, he was sure of it.<p>

Killian sighed, running his hands along his face as he stared at the open word document on his computer, as empty as it had been in recent times. He spent hours every day wasting away at his desk, willing the words to come, but he just couldn't find a single cohesive thought from which he could garner even a modicum of inspiration. It was downright shameful how much time he spent attempting to write something, _anything_. Writing was all that he had wanted to do with his life and yet he couldn't seem to create anything of value. The irony was not lost on him.

Frustrated, he slammed his laptop closed and stomped his way into the kitchen. He needed a drink, something to dull the ache that he felt each day he was unable to produce anything worthwhile. He opened up his cabinet and cursed under his breath. He had finished off the rum a few nights ago when he had seen the announcement that _she_ was getting married. Grumbling, he threw open the refrigerator door, hoping that he might have an extra beer lying around, but was met with empty shelves. He made a mental note to go grocery shopping soon, or he'd likely starve to death.

He made his way into the living room and slumped on the couch. He knew that _she_ had effectively killed his writing. Inspiration had been elusive since she had left him years ago. He had been young and idealistic and she had left nothing but a jaded wreck in her wake. Because of it, his writing had suffered greatly, and he was starting to believe that he would never move past this mental block that her departure and subsequent heartbreak had caused. He would never publish the novel he so desperately wanted to write and would end up a failure before he even had a chance to get started.

Desperate for a drink, he stood angrily from the couch and walked towards the door. He paused slightly in order to put his coat on, before walking out his apartment. He made his way towards his usual haunt, hoping that the liquor would help put him at ease for the night.

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><p>Several hours later, Killian stumbled up the stairs to his apartment. He tripped up the last couple of steps and gripped the railing for support. His blurry vision was not making matters any better and he couldn't quite place where exactly his door was. Reaching out with his hands as if he were blind, he trailed them along the wall until he found the wood of the door frame. He pulled his keys out of his pocket and struggled to find the lock, his alcohol induced haze wreaking havoc on his eyesight.<p>

Finally able to successfully unlock the door, he fell into his apartment. He landed on his stomach with a loud thump, the air whooshing out of his lungs. Groaning slightly, he rolled onto his back as he attempted to get his breathing under control. He covered his eyes with his hand trying in vain to still the spinning sensation he was experiencing. Cursing his stupidity for drinking far past his limit, he sighed, resigning himself to restless night's sleep and most likely an unbearable hangover in the morning.

Pushing himself up off the floor, he gripped the door frame and pulled himself up. He shut the door behind him, hanging up his coat on the peg near the entrance. He staggered down the hall, kicking his shoes off as he made his way towards his bedroom. Pulling his shirt over his head, he stumbled into his room, seeking purchase on his dresser for stability. He looked over at his bed, relief filling him as he took a step towards it, desperate for the comfort of his pillows and the warmth of his blanket.

A soft glow gave him pause as he turned his head towards the door that led to his bathroom. His eyes widened as a beautiful women stepped into his room, her head buried in a small black book. She was wearing a sleeveless dress made out of some shiny flowing material that moved with each step that she took. He noticed that the fabric left very little to the imagination, clinging to her full breasts and sitting high on her thighs, showcasing her long muscular legs. Her long blonde hair fell in waves down her back, but was partially concealed by the enormous white wings that protruded from between her shoulders. Killian gasped loudly as he realized that this woman, whoever or _whatever_ she was, was the source of the golden light that illuminated his room.

The woman stopped and turned her head towards him. Killian realized his mistake and quickly closed his mouth. His incredulity was mirrored in her face as she eyed him warily. She turned her body and faced him, and he swallowed hard as he looked her over, his heart thumping almost painfully in his chest. She _was_ beautiful, so beautiful that it didn't seem natural. Her bright green eyes were furrowed in anger and confusion, but shone as if they were beacons in the dark night.

He gulped slightly as this unworldly creature made her way towards him. She stopped a few inches away from him, and his nose was filled with an enticing aroma of lavender and vanilla. He stared at her dumbly, unable to move or speak. She made no move closer to him, but continued to eye him with an intense glare. He started to feel anxious, wondering what this creature would do to him. She reached her hand up and waved it front of his face.

Not expecting the motion, he flinched away from her slightly, expelling the breath he didn't realize he had been holding. Her eyes widened in shock as she quickly withdrew her hand and placed down by her side. She took a few steps away from him and placed her hands on her hips.

"Can you see me?" she asked, her lilting voice echoing slightly in his room. Killian frowned in confusion before nodding mutely to her question, not once removing his eyes from her face.

"Well, that simply will not do." She snapped her fingers, and Killian felt himself overcome with exhaustion, his eyes sliding closed as he felt his body fall forward.

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><p><em>Shit. Shit. Shit.<em>

He wasn't supposed to see her. Mortals weren't cognizant of her kind, and at most could only perceive a slight shift in the air if they were around. But to have someone see her? That was completely unheard of. She glanced at the unconscious body at her feet, her brow furrowed. How was this even possible? She had been around countless numbers of humans in the last 3000 years, and none of _them_ had been able to see her. As far as she knew, no one else had any reports of humans seeing them either. She _must_ have forgotten to do something before she left Elysian, but she couldn't seem to figure out what it could possibly be. She hated to think what the Tribunal would do to her if they knew…

Sighing, she looked down at the man on the floor. She might have been a little hasty in knocking him out. He had fallen over shortly after she snapped her fingers, and hit his head on the floor when he landed. She had been so surprised by the fact that he could see him that she didn't even think that he might hurt himself. Despite that, he was now snoring blissfully on the floor. She had smelled the alcohol on his breath when she stood in front of him. Hopefully, he would wake up and this would all be seen as a drunken hallucination and he would be none the wiser to her existence.

She frantically waved her hand, and his body lifted off the floor. She directed him to his bed and he fell with a soft thump against the sheets. That was best for now. She walked into the living room in a panic. She paced around the room, trying to make sense of what happened. She replayed her departure from Elysian over in her head and knew that she hadn't missed anything before leaving. But that still didn't explain how he could see her…

Sighing, she resigned herself to the worn armchair in the corner. A small compact mirror materialized in her hands. She popped it open with her fingers, and within seconds a face appeared - a woman with long black hair and her mouth set in a stern, disapproving line.

"Emma, seriously? You've only been gone a few hours. What could have possibly happened?" the woman asked.

"Ruby, I know. But something did happen. Something bad. And I don't know what to do," Emma implored her friend desperately.

"Alright, alright. What's the problem, and I'll see what I can do to help."

"Ruby," she started softly. "Ruby…_he can see me._"

Her friend stared back at her with disbelief, her eyes almost comically wide and her mouth slightly open. She shook her head suddenly as if trying to rid herself of what Emma had told her.

"That's…not possible, Emma. You know that's not possible. They cannot perceive our kind. There's no way that he saw you. You must have been imagining it," Ruby finalized. Emma wasn't sure who it was that she was trying to convince more with that statement.

"Ruby, I had a conversation with him. He _told_ me he could see me. This is bad. Really bad. What do I do?" Emma started to panic again.

"Emma, you know you have to complete your assignment. You know what will happen to him if you don't. You must finish it at all costs. I will talk to the Tribunal to let them know what happened, but you _must finish it._" Emma nodded at Ruby's impassioned plea and snapped the compact shut. She pulled out her notebook and a pen materialized in her hands. Opening it up, she read her notes from earlier.

_Subject: Killian Michael Jones_

_Age: 29_

_Sex: Male_

_Duration of Assignment: 30 days _

She made her notes about events of the evening quickly. He was asleep in the next room, but she knew that her spell would wear off soon, and she wanted to be prepared when he awoke. She knew there would be a lot of questions and she needed to make sure that she answered them carefully. She didn't want to know what the repercussions would be if she let something slip. It was bad enough already that he could see her, but to know her mission would be catastrophic.

Curious about her ward, she walked back into his bedroom. He had rolled over since she had left and she could see his face more clearly, the streetlamp outside his window illuminating his features. He was incredibly handsome. He was probably one of the most handsome men she had ever seen, and she had seen plenty of handsome men in the last three millennia.

His brow furrowed and he frowned, as if he could sense her presence, but his face quickly relaxed. She could feel her heart beating rapidly in her chest as she stared at him. She felt a strange pull towards him. She couldn't explain what it was, but there was _something_ about him that caused her heart to flutter.

She frowned as she remembered the reason she was there. She disregarded the strange emotions she was experiencing as the slight adrenaline rush from discovering he could see her. He was attractive, but he was not any different than the millions of other attractive men she had been around. She had a mission to complete, and nothing would deter her from that, especially not the handsome man currently sleeping in front of her.

She retreated back to the living room, curling herself up in the arm chair. She stared out the bay windows over the large city. The events of the day had finally caught up with her, and she could get feel her energy waning. She tried to stay awake, but within moments, she was fast asleep.

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><p>Killian opened his eyes slowly, groaning at the sunlight streaming through his open window. He covered his face with his hands, focusing on keeping the pounding in his head at a minimum. He looked around, confused as to how he managed to get into his room and on his bed. The details of the night were a little hazy after he left the bar, but it was nothing that worried him. It had happened many times before.<p>

The unpleasant gurgling in his belly drove him from his bed to the bathroom. He emptied the contents of his stomach in the toilet, immediately regretting his decision to drink as much as he did the night before. Still, he needed to forget everything for a while, and the alcohol had evidently done its job. Too bad he had a splitting headache to go along with it.

He pulled himself off the bathroom floor, and made his way into the kitchen. He searched through several cabinets before his eyes found the jar of coffee grounds. Quickly, he prepared a pot of hot coffee, the aroma already doing wonders for his headache. He was resolved to get at least something done today, even if it was just a few paragraphs. He wasn't going to let her get in the way of his writing anymore.

Resolved in his decision, he fill a mug with the steaming coffee and walked out into the living room. He pulled the cup up to his lips to take a drink when he stopped. His eyes grew wide as he stared at the armchair in the corner of the room.

There was a woman sleeping in his chair.

There was a woman _with wings_ sleeping in his chair.

He almost dropped the mug in his surprise. Instead, he gently placed it down on the coffee table and silently tiptoed towards the sleeping woman, careful not to wake her. He paused in front of the chair as he took in the sleeping form in front of him. She was a young woman, her face resting in the curve of her elbow on the arm of the chair, the rest of her body curled up in a ball under the massive white wings that had curled around her. Her soft golden hair fell in curls around her face. The light that poured into the room made the woman look like she was glowing.

Confused, he tried to remember the previous night, wondering if he had let this strange woman into his apartment. He paced around the living room, as he replayed the events of the night before. He remembered coming home, and falling onto the floor. He remembered getting up and walking to his bedroom. And he remembered seeing a golden light in his room.

He whipped back over to woman currently asleep in his chair. Surely _she_ couldn't be glowing. Desperate to prove to himself that she was just a strange woman with wings (because that wasn't just as ludicrous as a woman who glowed), he stalked over to the curtains and pulled them closed. He turned back to the woman and gasped in shock. _She was glowing._ Whoever this woman was, she certainly didn't belong in his apartment, and probably not even on Earth.

He needed to get her out of there. He was angry that this slip of a woman could break into his apartment, and then have the audacity to sleep in his armchair. He stomped back over to her with the intent of kicking her out. She had rolled over in her sleep, and he stopped short of the armchair.

He was caught off guard by how beautiful she was. Her features were delicate, her face framed by the long blonde locks of hair. Her eyes were closed, but he could see her long dark lashes against her smooth cream colored skin. Her lips, soft and pink, were formed into a slight pout. His breath caught in his throat as he stared at her, his heart pounding in his chest at the sight that she made. He kneeled before her and drank her in. He couldn't explain what he was feeling in that moment, it was so unfamiliar. All he knew was that this creature, this _woman_, was going to be important to him.

Tentatively, he reached over to brush a stray lock of hair that had fallen in front of her face. Her skin was soft and warm under his gentle fingertips. A current shot through his arm, almost like a shock and he pulled his hand back immediately. He stared at her in awe as her eyes fluttered open.

In a manner of seconds, the woman flew from the chair and was now hovering precariously above him. Her wings were spread wide, her face contorted into a mixture of confusion and anger. He just eyed her in disbelief as she floated around his apartment.

It seemed like forever before her face shifted back to one of incredulity and she slowly glided down from the ceiling, landing right in front of him. He gulped as he realized that the dress she was wearing was wearing was translucent, and he could clearly see the luscious curves of her body. He gulped, but kept his eyes trained on her face. She was an incredibly beautiful creature, but he had a feeling she wouldn't take too kindly to him brazenly ogling her.

Almost as if she could read his mind, she crossed her arms in front of her chest, as she eyed him warily. They stood in silence for several moments before Killian cleared his throat. Shaken from her reverie, she jumped slightly at the noise. She took a step back away from him, still unsure of what he would do.

"Don't worry," he said. "I'm not going to hurt you."

Her eyes widened as she continued to step away from him.

"You can still see me?" she asked tentatively. He nodded once.

She sighed, closing her eyes in defeat. He suddenly felt like he wanted to comfort her.

"Well, since all propriety seems to be gone, my name is Emma." She stuck her hand out to shake for him to shake. He looked down at it in disbelief, but didn't take it. She withdrew it quickly and rolled her eyes.

"Would you quit looking at me like that?" she asked exasperatedly. "I'm not going to grow and extra head if that's what you're worried about."

Ignoring him, she stretched her arms over her head, and Killian gulped as her dress rode impossibly high on her legs. He could feel a stirring in his lower extremities, and he quickly averted his gaze, as heat quickly rose up through his cheeks. Even if she was beautiful, there was no reason he should be gawking at her like a prepubescent schoolboy.

Gathering his bearings, he glanced back over at the woman. She was busy running her fingers through her hair to loosen the knots that had developed from her position in the armchair. He regarded her for a moment, but one thing continued to plague his mind.

"Who are you?" he asked. His voice sounded strange to his ears, scratchy and uneven. She stopped and looked at him, her eyes were wide. He could see the hesitation apparent on her face, like a small child who had been caught in a lie.

"I told you. My name is Emma," she said defensively.

He frowned. That wasn't the answer he had been expecting.

"Yes, and my name is Killian. But that doesn't answer my question, love."

She started to wring her hands. Her eyes were darting everywhere around the room in almost a panic. She opened her mouth to say something, but quickly closed it, pulling her bottom lip between her teeth as she contemplated answering his question. Something about her lack of response gave him a feeling of dread.

She stopped panicking and straightened up. The scared girl that had previously stood before him vanished and was replaced by the confident woman that he had only glimpses of in the short amount of time he had known her. She heaved a great sigh, and rolled her eyes. He hadn't expected her to give on so easy, but he needed to know who she was and why she was there.

"I am your guardian angel," she stated simply. Killian only blinked at her in disbelief.

_Bloody hell._


	2. Chapter 2

**Sorry it has taken me so long to update. I had a really hard time writing this chapter for some reason, and nothing ever quite seemed right. I finally have to where I like, so I hope you enjoy it too! Please review! I am totally okay with constructive criticism. :)**

**Disclaimer: I own nothing**.

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><p>She didn't want to lie to him.<p>

She knew there would be questions, and really, she hadn't been completely dishonest with him. She was an angel, and she did guard things. It may not have been him that needed guarding, but he didn't need to know that. The fact that he could see her was already unorthodox, but there was no way he would understand what she was _really_ doing on Earth.

He would never understand that she was here for his soul.

It had been her job for the last 3000 years, to collect the souls of the lost ones, the ones who gave up on life. She was tasked to study her ward, to keep close to them, and make sure nothing got in the way of their destiny. It was their destiny to die at a specific point in time, often by their own hand. They could not die any sooner or later than what was already written. To do so meant the very fabric of time unraveling. He would die in a month, and she would collect his soul. Her task would be complete.

But the way that he was staring at her right now made her heart catch in her throat. She couldn't remember the last time she had seen a man more attractive than him. His dark hair was disheveled from sleep and sticking up in all directions. His clothes from the night before were rumpled, and his beard was unkempt and unruly. However, his bright blue eyes were wide, and she felt that she could see straight into his soul. What she saw there scared her.

They were not the eyes of someone who had given up on life. They were the eyes of someone who had been hurt more than most throughout life. They were clouded pain, so palatable that she could almost feel his misery herself. However, she could not dismiss the unmistakable glimmer of hope. It was that glimmer that tightened her chest. None of this made any sense. She was the guardian of lost souls, ones that had lost hope. She could tell that he still very much believed in the future.

If he hadn't lost hope, then why was she here?

He coughed slightly, and she realized that she had been caught up in her perusal of him. The confusion was apparent on his face, as it appeared he had expected her to continue after her rather unceremonious announcement. She hadn't really planned on what to say afterwards, but then again, she shouldn't have to be saying anything to him at all. She sure hoped that Ruby would respond soon and the Tribunal would know what to do.

"So," he started, startling her with his voice. "You're an angel."

She nodded slightly. She could tell that he was slowly attempting to process her presence in his apartment.

"You're my guardian angel," he said, his tone containing something akin to irritation.

She nodded again, but she could feel herself frowning. He exhaled a large breath and started pacing the room. She could feel the agitation rolling off him in waves as he raked his hands through his hair. She wasn't quite sure how to respond to his reaction. He stopped and looked at her, and shook his head in disbelief.

"You're not real," he said definitively.

"I am very much real," she bristled.

"No. There's no way that you are real. You're just a figment of my bloody imagination. I'm probably still drunk and you're a hallucination."

She rolled her eyes and pinched the bridge of her nose. His disbelief and her anger about the situation were starting to get to her, and she really didn't want to have to explain her presence to a human. She shouldn't have to explain anything at all! He shouldn't even see her! She hoped that she would hear back from Ruby soon with an answer from the Tribunal, and she could put this whole mess behind her.

"I assure you, I am real," she said through gritted teeth.

"Then what the hell are you doing in my apartment?"

"I told you already. I am your guardian angel." Her tone was scathing and she realized it too late. He was pushing her buttons and she was already irritated.

"So what are you guarding exactly?"

His tone was biting and sarcastic, but she couldn't help the way her eyes widened at his question. He was angry, and she could tell that he knew her presence wasn't in an act of goodwill. He couldn't possibly know what she was _really_ doing here, but she needed to redirect his thoughts away from there if she wanted to get through this assignment.

"You. I am here to help you fulfill your destiny, and make sure everything goes that way that it's supposed to," she said simply. It wasn't a lie, but she was really grasping at straws for a way to placate him.

"Well, I don't need your bloody help." He was yelling at her now, and she flinched. "You can go back to whatever plane of existence you come from and leave me the hell alone."

He turned away from her and stomped towards the door. He pushed himself out into the hallway, grabbing his coat and slamming the door on the way out. She finally let go of the breath she hadn't realized she had been holding, and flopped back down in the armchair.

_So much for good first impressions._

She needed to know what to do. Usually she would just follow her wards around, adjusting the elements as she needed in order to keep them on track, but she knew that her presence right now would be unwelcome. He had made it clear that she was not to follow him, wherever he went. She needed to know how to get through this mess of an assignment.

Her compact materialized in her hand, and she pulled the small mirror open. Within minutes, Ruby's apprehensive face appeared, her eyes nervous. It was apparent that whatever Ruby had learned from the Tribunal, it wasn't good news.

"Emma! I've been so worried about you," she said. "I spoke with the Tribunal, told them what you told me…"

Emma could see the dread in her friend's eyes. The Tribunal was made up of the oldest and most powerful angels, the ones that predated time itself. Everyone deferred to them for their wisdom and guidance, and on a few occasions, their punishments. They were tasked with keeping order and maintaining boundaries. No one dared to challenge them. Most of the time, they were a benevolent group of leaders, and Elysian prospered. However, she couldn't see how they would not take the news of a human seeing her very lightly.

"They weren't happy, Emma," Ruby continued gravely. Emma's heart sank as her fears were confirmed.

"What do they want me to do?" she asked quietly.

"They didn't have much to say," Ruby started. "But they did ask me to remind you of one thing: you cannot change his fate. I know you have a soft spot for these lost souls, but Emma, it is imperative that you do not attempt to do anything rash. You _have_ to complete this assignment. Our very existence depends on it."

"But what am I supposed to do?"

"I don't know, Emma. That's all they told me. I guess you will just have to improvise."

Ruby disappeared from the mirror and Emma snapped it shut. She heaved a sigh as she buried her face in her hands. She felt conflicted about the Tribunal's warning. She had been doing this job longer than most; she knew the rules. Even when she felt it was unfair for people to die, she always completed her assignments. She had always found her mark, and retrieved their soul. But something about their warning gave her pause.

They knew she couldn't leave until the assignment was completed. They knew that she was aware of the consequences of failing at her task. So why, out of all the things they could have said, did they issue a warning such as that? It didn't make any sense to her. Just like it didn't make any sense that she was here to retrieve the soul of a man who still had a small bit of hope.

She couldn't help it when the tears started. She could feel their hot tracks roll down her cheeks as the last few hours finally caught up with her. As experienced as she was, she didn't know how to handle this situation. The Tribunal hadn't been much help either. She didn't know how to act around humans, she was unfamiliar with their ways of life. How could she possibly get through the next 30 days by herself?

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><p>Killian wandered aimlessly through the streets. It had been hours since he had stormed out, desperate to get away from the stifling confines of his apartment. He didn't know what he had expected with her presence, but he knew he didn't expect the bombshell she just laid on him.<p>

He realized quickly enough that he wasn't angry that she was there, or even what she was. He knew there was something different about her, apart from the obvious wings and the whole glowing thing. He had felt a strange pull towards her the moment he saw her sitting in the armchair in his living room. He was upset because he knew she was hiding something. She had a million tells, and it didn't take a genius to pick up on them.

He chuckled darkly. _Of course_ he would be the one who would get upset because she was hiding something from him. Never mind the fact that she was a _freaking_ angel, and had broken into his apartment. Never mind the fact that she was there to guard him or something. Never mind the fact that she was the most beautiful woman he had ever set his eyes upon…

_Where did that come from?_

He shook the thought from his mind. She was beautiful, there was no denying that. She was an angel, of course she was beautiful. However, he wasn't under any delusions that she would leave because he told her to, but her presence was unwanted and unwelcome. He needed to write. He didn't need a stupid bloody angel flying around his apartment, distracting him.

Determined to rid himself of the woman, he turned and made his way back home.

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><p>Killian pushed open the door to his apartment, his anger and frustration blazing. He glanced around his apartment, smirking slightly when his eyes landed on the blonde huddled in his armchair. He was grateful that she hadn't noticed he had come home. He quickly walked towards her, preparing to throw her out of his apartment, but stopped when he saw that her face was buried in her hands, her elbows resting on her knees. He saw that the unusual glow off her skin had dimmed slightly, and the glorious wings on her back sagged around her.<p>

He couldn't explain why his anger faded at the sight of her in that moment, but he found himself kneeling in front of her and placing a hand on her shoulder in an awkward attempt to comfort her. She sat up with a start and looked up at him. His chest tightened as he noticed the redness that tinged her green eyes as he realized that she had been crying.

Before he could say anything, she flew out of to the other side of the room, her chest heaving as her eyes narrowed at him. He noticed that all evidence of her tears had disappeared and the glow that she emanated shone bright in his apartment. Her wings were spread wide, the feathers ruffled. There was a threatening energy in the air that made his hair stand on end.

"I'm not going to hurt you, love," he started slowly.

He watched as she visibly relaxed, her wings folding in around her back. The energy that had crackled in the air dissipated and he stared at her for the second time that day. She reminded him of a swan - beautiful and elegant, but dangerous if provoked. Attempting to keep her calm, he threw up his hands in surrender.

"How about we don't destroy my apartment, yeah?"

She stared at him briefly before nodding slowly, and he could feel himself relax as well. He lowered his hands and he saw her breathe a sigh of relief.

"Listen, I apologize for blowing up at you earlier, that was bad form, but you have to understand that your presence here is somewhat off putting." He watched as she bit her lip, obviously wanting to say something. He paused for a moment, but when it became clear that she wasn't going to say anything, he continued.

"I'm not sure why you're here, but I don't particularly fancy having a guardian angel around." Her eyes widened as he spoke, her face fearful, but still she said nothing.

"So, I really need you to leave," he said plainly. She remained silent, but she bowed her head as if in shame. He sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose, hoping he wouldn't have to forcibly remove her from his apartment. It's not like he could call the cops on her – like they would believe that a bloody angel was breaking and entering into his apartment.

"I can't leave."

He looked up at the skittish woman, unsure if she had said anything at all, or if he had just hallucinated her reply. She was hesitant as he continued to stare at her. He silently implored her to continue.

"I am grounded on this plane until my task is complete," she said quietly.

"So you're stuck here then? For how long?"

"Thirty days."

"And then you'll leave?"

"And then I'll leave."

Killian pondered her answers silently. She seemed to be telling him the truth, but the whole situation was preposterous.

"Can't you stay somewhere else? I really can't have any distractions right now," he asked softly.

"I can't leave this place without accompanying you," she replied sadly.

He sighed and ran his fingers through his hair. He couldn't find any trace of dishonesty in her voice, and if she was indeed telling the truth, then he was stuck with an angel for the next month. She didn't seem like she would budge on the matter, so he figured that he might as well make the best of it.

"Alright. Since you obviously aren't going to leave, I guess you can stay. You can sleep on the pull out bed in the sofa, and you just need to keep quiet during the day. I can't afford any distractions. I'm trying to write a book and let's face it, love, you're very distracting."

She blushed, her cheeks tinged slightly pink. She looked very becoming and he felt his breath catch in his throat at the sight she made. She really was beautiful, immensely beautiful, but there was something about her that made him wary of her presence.

"I promise, I will try to stay out of your way as much as I can," she said earnestly. He almost believed that she would. She stuck her hand out in front her for him to shake. She smiled at him to confirm her willingness to help him out.

"Good. Here's to being roommates for the next month." He took her hand in his and shook it, grinning slightly back at her. Despite their awkward and frustrating start, he felt somewhat at ease now with their arrangement.

_Now, how do we get through the next month together?_


End file.
